Postage stamp dispenser



May 20, 1969 F. DE MARCO POSTAGE STAMP DISPENSER Filed NOV. 22, 1965 I N VE NTOR DE/WZ PCO United States Patent 3,444,840 POSTAGE STAMP DISPENSER Frank De Marco, Newburgh, N.Y. (199 Springdale Ave., Meriden, Conn. 06450) Filed Nov. 22, 1965, Ser. No. 509,126 Int. Cl. Bc 1/02 US. Cl. 118236 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A dispenser for stamps in the form of a flat elongated container slightly larger than the usual stamp dimension having an open cavity for the reception of stamps which are dispensed through a slot in an end wall by means of thumb or finger pressure.

My invention is directed toward postage stamp dispensers.

Accordingly, it is an object of my invention to provide new and improved postage stamp dispensers which are small and portable, and which are adapted to receive a plurality of postage stamps stacked one above the other, whereby one or more stamps can be dispensed, one after the other, by suitable manual action.

Another object is to provide new and improved postage stamp dispensers of the character indicated, which include means for moistening the gummed side of a stamp as it is dispensed.

Still another object is to provide new and improved postage stamp dispensers of the character indicated, which can be manufactured easily and inexpensively.

All of the foregoing, and still further objects and advantages of my invention, will now be explained with reference both to this specification and to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one form of my invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view taken through 22 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded view of a modification of my invention;

FIGURE 4 is a view through 44 in FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view of another modification of my invention.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 and 2, there is shown a small thin elongated hollow plastic container 10. The top surface 12 thereof has an enlarged central aperture 14. The bottom surface 16 is solid. One end of the container contains a slot 18 positioned below surface 12 and communicating into a first hollow chamber 20 formed between surface 12 and a lower parallel wall 22 disposed between surfaces 12 and 16. A second and lower hollow chamber 23 is formed between wall 22 and surface 16. Chamber 20 contains a plurality of postage stamps 24 stacked vertically one above the other. The user, by using thumb pressure, exerted through aperture 14 upon the top stamp in the stack, can slide this stamp out through slot 18, and this process can be repeated as many times as necessary.

As shown in FIGURE 5, the structure of FIGURES 1 and 2, can be modified by inserting a thin narrow layer of sponge rubber 26 upon the bottom horizontal edge of 3,444,840 Patented May 20, 1969 ICC slot 18, and enlarging slot 18 as necessary. Thus, when layer 26 is moistened with water, and the stamps are stacked gum side downward, the gum side will be automatically moistened upon contact with the layer 26 as the stamp is removed.

Alternatively, as shown in FIGURE 3, I can use a hollow rectangular container 60 having top surface 12, with aperture 14, solid bottom surface 16, and with one end having a slot 40 which is so large as to be surrounded only peripherally by the thicknesses of the side and top and bottom walls. A second container 50 is adapted to slide within slot 40 and to removably seal slot 40 by means of a vertical end wall 42 having a lip 44 adapted to detachably engage shoulder 46 in slot 40. Container 50 has a bottom surface 52 adapted to be parallel to and disposed intermediate surfaces 16 and 12. Surface 52 carries a flexible member 54 upon which stamps 24 are stacked as before.

The other end of container 60 contains a slot 18, whereby stamps can he slid out, one after the other by thumb pressure, as illustrated in FIGURE 4. As in the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 5, this embodiment may include a thin narrow layer of sponge rubber at the bottom of slot 18.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

1. A postage stamp dispenser comprising a relatively thin, hollow rectangular shaped body having upper and lower parallel horizontal surfaces, the upper surface having an aperture, means in said body dividing same into upper and lower horizontal chambers, said means comprising an open container dimensioned to be slidingly received snugly within said body and including parallel side walls integrally joined by a stamp supporting wall intermediate the said upper and lower surfaces of said body, said supporting wall having a flexible member for resiliently supporting the stamps, a plurality of postage stamps in said upper chamber and stacked vertically one above the other with the gummed sides of the stamps downward, and a slot in one end of said body communicating with said upper chamber, whereby stamps can be slid thereout one after another, said slot including a narrow portion parallel to the surfaces and a ramp portion inclined downwardly and terminating at said means to facilitate removal of the stamps from the upper chamher, and a moistening means mounted in the narrow portion of the slot.

References Cited ROBERT I. SMITH, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 221-102 

